Automatic telephone switch



Oct. 25, 1932. w. s. STROWGER 1,884,910

AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE SWITCH Filed Nov. 20, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR IA. L 44m 7:113" ATTORNEY Oct. 25, 1932. w 5. STRQWGER 1,884,910

AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE SWITCH Filed NOV. 20, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 9 2% Fig.1. a

ENVENTOR M61160- 5. Strauss/- Oct. 25, 1932. w. s. STROVVGER TOMA'I'I C TELEPHONE SWITCH Filed Nov. 20, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Q/aZEQr- 6. SEA-0:45am

Jul: ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER S. STROWGER, OF LIVONIA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO STROWGER TELEPHONE SECURITIES, INC., 01? WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE SWITCH Application filed November 20, 1931.

The present invention relates to automatic telephone switches and more particularly to the type in which a switch member moves over a bank of contacts to connect with the proper contact in the bank. An object of this invention is to provide a construction in which the electrical energy required for shifting the switch member is reduced to a minimum. A further object of the invention is to provide a switch member, movable about two axes at right angles to each other and intersecting each other, its movement being effected through advance magnets supported independently of the switch member and connected to the switch member in such a manner that friction is reduced to a minimum. Another object of the invention is to impart to a switch member from an advance magnet, a movement through a flexible shaft.

To these and other ends, the invention consists of certain parts and combinations of parts, all of which will be hereinafter described: the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of an automatic telephone switch constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view with parts of the banks broken away;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view;

Fig. & is a section on the line 44, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5, Fig. 2.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, 1 indicates a base member on which the switch member and a bank of contacts are arranged. The banks of contacts, in this instance, comprise a plurality of arcuate insulating blocks 2 of wedge shaped cross section, superimposed, one upon the other and held together on rods 3 by nuts 4 and 5 at opposite ends thereof, the rods being anchored in the base member 1. Each insulating body 2 has, in this instance, three sets of contact lugs 6, each set being arranged in an arc and the sets themselves being arranged in slightly converging ielation in two directions, so that all of the sets of all of the banks converge substantially to one point. Each Serial No. 576,401.

contact lug connects with a wiring connection 7 projecting from the opposite side of the block 2 for connecting with the different lines.

The switch member, in this instance, comprises three contacts 8, insulated from each other at 9 and 10 and having wiring terminals 11 for connecting with the circuit of the telephone switches in the usual manner. This switch member is secured between two nuts 12 on a shaft 13 which projects from one side of the switch member, and provided with a bearing portion 1 1 turning in a rock shaft 15. The rock shaft in turn is mounted at its ends on pointed bearings 16 on the ends of screws 17 mounted in blocks 18 projected upwardly from the base member 1. A spring 19 surrounds the rock shaft and is anchored at 20 to one of the blocks 18, its other end being secured at 21 to the rock shaft 15. This spring normally tends to hold the switch member downwardly in the plane of the lower bank of contact lugs 6 with a finger 22 on the shaft 15, engaging an adjustable stop 23 on the base member 1.

Movement of the switch member to align it with any one of the series or banks of contact lugs may be effected by an advancing magnet 21 supported in a rigid position on the base member and having an armature 25 cooperating therewith, said armature being pivoted at 26 to a pole piece 27 and being held away from the advancing magnet 2-1 by a spring 28 connecting the pole piece with the armature. The armature 25 carries an advancing pawl 29 cooperating with a ratchet 30 arranged on the rock shaft 15. A holding pawl 31 also cooperates with the ratchet to hold the latter and the rock shaft in the advanced position against the action of the spring 19. This holding pawl and the advancing pawl 29 may be released or disengaged from the ratchet 30 by a release magnet 32 supported on the pole piece 27 and having an armature 33 pivoted at 34k to the base member 1, and formed with a projection 35 for cooperating with the holding pawl 31, the holding pawl 31 being connected with an advancing pawl 25 by an insulated piece 36 so that both pawls 25 and 31 are moved out 01 engagement with the ratchet 30 when the release magnet 32 is energized, permitting the switch member 8 to move to the lower serie or bank of contact lugs 6 under the action 0L the spring 19.

Movement of the switch member on its bearing 13 may be effected by an advancing magnet "37 secured to a pole 38 on the bottom of the base member 1. The pole piece 38 has pivoted thereto at 39 an armature 40, through which is secured an advancing pawl '41, a spring 42 connects said armature with the pole piece 38 and moves the armature away from the advancing magnet 37. This advancing pawl 41 cooperates wi h the ratchet wheel 43 which is journalled in a bearing supported onthe underside of the bed piece 1. The ratchet wheel 43 has a shaft 45 extended therethorugh, and longitudinally movable therewith but turning with the ratchet wheel. To'this end the shaft has a longitudinall extending groove 46 in which a pin 47 on the shaft to the ratchet wheel projects. To the shaft 46 a flexible shaft 48 is secured to one end, the other end ofthe flexible shaft being secured to the shaft or bearing 14 f the switch member. It will thus be seen that,

notwithstanding the swinging of the switch member with the rock shaft 15, the switch member can be swung through the shaft 14 and'flexible shaft 48 by means of the ratchet wheel 43, the shaft 48 flexing when the shaft 15 turns. In this way little or no resistance is imposedto the turning of the switch memher 8 about the shaft 14 as an axis by the advancing pawl 37. The axially movable shaft 46 shifts under certain conditions with 'thefle-xing' of theshaft '48. A spring 49 is connected at one end to the ratchet wheel 43, and the other end at 50 to a hxed part, acts on the switch member '8 to retur the latter toa normal position against the stop 51 when the ratchet wheel 43 18 released. of the ratchet wheel may be effected by'a re- The release lease magnet 52 operating on an armature which cooperates with a holding pawl that but holdsthe ratchet wheel 43 in the position to which it is adjusted by the advancing pawl 41. Insulation 55 is interposed between the holding pawl 54 and the advancing pawl 4 and serves to'shift the advancing pawl 41 out of engagement with theratchet wheel 43 when the holding pawl 54 is moved out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 43.

"The circuits employed in connection with the invention are not illustrated, as they may be of an desired t pe. The advancin ma -net'24 shifts the switch 8 to the desired series ready for thenext operation.

It. is apparent that with this invention, the weights of the advancing and releasing magnets are not imposed on the switch member, but both sets are mounted rigidly upon the bed plate. The ratchet 3O acts as a counterbalance for the switch member 8 on the rock tioned axis and intersecting said axis, an advancing magnet for shiftlng the switch member about the first mentioned ax1s,sup-

ported independently of the member on which the switch memberturns, means operated'by said advance magnet, anda flexible shaft connecting said means withthe switch member.

2. An automatic telephone switch comprising a basemember, a rock shaft mounted to turn on said base member, a switchmember mounted to turn on .therock shaft at right angles to and intersecting the axis-.of turning of the rock shaft, a bed member, an :advan mg magnetmounted on t'hepbedmember and havlngconnectlon with the rock shaft 'to swing the latter on its axis, a flexible shaft connected with .the switchfimember, and a second I advancing magnet emounted on the bed member and having connection with! the flexible shaft to move theswitchmember about itsaxis on the rockshaft.

pawl mount-ed on the bed member cooperating with said. ratchet and operatedhby the a dvancing magnet, a second ratchet mounted on thebcd member, .a flexible shaft connecting said second mentioned-ratchet with the shaftof the switch member, tan-advancing P pawl for shifting the last mentioned ratchet, and supported with said last mentionediadvancin'g pawl.

4. An automatic telephone switch comprising a switch 'membermounted to turn: about a suitable axis, a member on which the switch member turns, mounted to turn: about assuitable axis v at right angles to the: first mentioned axis and intersecting said axis, an advancing magnet for shifting the first mentioned member about its axis, a second advancing magnet, a flexible shaft having connection at one end with the switch member and slidably mounted at the other end, and a ratchet connected with the slidably mounted end of the flexible shaft and operated by the last mentioned advancing magnet.

5. An automatic telephone switch comprising a switch member mounted to turn about a suitable axis, a member on which the switch member turns mounted to turn about a suitable axis at right angles to the first mentioned axis, an advancing magnet for shifting the switch member about the first mentioned axis supported independently of the swinging member, a ratchet member turned by the advancing magnet, and a continuous shaft havin g one end alined with the axis of turning of the switch member and the other with the axis of turning of the ratchet member.

6. An automatic telephone switch comprising a switch member mounted to turn about a suitable axis, a member on which the switch member turns mounted to turn about a suitable axis at right angles to the first mentioned axis, an advancing magnet for shifting the switch member about the first mentioned axis supported independently of the swinging member on which the switch member turns, a ratchet member turned by the advancing magnet, a continuous shaft connecting the switch member and the ratchet member, one end of said shaft being alined with the axis of turning of said switch member and the other end being alined with the axis of turning of the ratchet member and turning on the same axis with said ratchet member, and a single bearing for the shaft of the switch and the adjacent end of the continuous shaft.

7 An automatic telephone switch comprising a switch member mounted to turn about a suitable axis, a member on which the switch member turns mounted to turn about a suita ole axis at right angles to the first mentioned axis, an advancing magnet for shifting the switch member about the first mentioned axis supported independently of the member on which the switch member turns, a ratchet member turned by the advancing magnet, and a single shaft extending between the ratchet member and the switch member and having both of said members secured thereto.

lVALTER S. STROWVGER. 

